PORTLAND — The Portland Winterhawks don’t need any tricks to turn the tide in their Western Hockey League playoff series with Everett. They do need to start executing.
That is the way head coach Jamie Kompon sees the situation as his team enters Tuesday’s Game 3 of the best-of-7 series in a 2-0 hole. The puck drops at 7 p.m. at the Moda Center.
“Just our execution of our game needs to be better,” Kompon said.
In the first two games at Everett, the Silvertips outscored the Winterhawks 6-1 and dictated momentum by being quick and aggressive on the forecheck and by winning the majority of battles for possession.
“I think it’s just our urgency to get back for pucks,” Kompon said of solving the Everett forecheck. “They don’t stop working, they don’t stop competing. We know that.”
Kompon said he was happy with the way the Winterhawks started both games at Everett. But the second periods were a different matter. Combining the two second periods, the Silvertips outshot the Winterhawks 38-12.
“You can talk about the long change, but our puck management is the area” that got the Winterhawks into tough sports in both second periods, Kompon said.
Timing of the goals also contributed to Everett’s momentum, particularly in Game 1 when both second-period goals came seconds after Portland killed off a penalty — the first of them immediately after Portland survived a five-on-three Everett power play. Staying out of the penalty box is one of the keys to preventing the Silvertips from building momentum according to Kompon.
To offset Everett’s aggressive forecheck, Portland needs to be more direct on the counter-attack according to Kompon. He wants to see more up-ice passes rather than lateral puck movement that allows Everett to get set positionally.
Kompon said his team is excited about returning to an energized Moda Center for games Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We have a great fan base supporting us. We are excited about the opportunity to play at home,” Kompon said. “They did their job. They held their serve (at home). Now it’s our job to take care of business at our place.”
